Missouri had too many abolitionists and Union sympathsizers so Texas had to send men to Missouri to fight their battles. Arkansas was the same way and the Confederate army they had was called the "junkyard army." After the war, General Sheridan was scared to death of Texas. He sent Col. George Custer to Texas to accept the surrender of the Confederate "hold-outs."

Early war uniforms were more complete and better looking than the clothing the Confederate soldiers had as the war continued. Many uniforms was made by soldier's families. Towards the end of the war, you were lucky to have a Confederate issue kepi. Chevrons were sewn on by the soldiers from strips of colored cloth. One exception is the supply depot in Houston, Texas who supplied pre-sewn chevrons on a gray background. Just like the yankees.

You should do a lot of research before buying reproduction uniforms and equipment because it is very expensive and custom made. I am starting a early war Confederate dismounted cavalry NCO (sergeant) uniform. I have several revolvers, russet waist belts, russet flap holsters and I have just ordered one pair of gray-mix foot trousers with a 1-1/2" yellow stripe. The NCOs had a 1-1/2" stripe on their trousers but corporals and privates did not. An mounted and foot NCO also carried a sword.

You will sometime talk to reinactors that are called "stitch counters." They will critisize your choice of uniforms and equipment for period accuracy.

I doubt if my great grandfathers Joshua D. Coffee (Hardeman's 1st Texas Cavalry) or Peyton G. Whaley (Monroe's 1st Arkansas Cavalry) had uniforms even at the beginning of the war. My great grandfather Andrew Jackson Webb was a 2nd lieutenant and had a nice blue uniform and a good horse for a while. He was in the 2nd Tennessee Cavalry, Army of the Cumberland, U.S.A. and was "un-horsed" at Chickamauga Creek. Chickamauga is Cherokee for "River of Death." I wonder if the Cherokees knew something we didn't?

I will use my Confederate uniform for display a schools, libraies or wear on special occasions because I am getting to old to join a reinactor group. Reinacting is well organized and has a lot of hard recruit training, just like the regular army. I had my fill of that sort of thing from 1965 through 1968 in Vietnam, Republic of.